What appeared were several knights of the Jiang family, who were clearly also here for the treasure that Gu Sheng carried. Elder Han's eyes flashed with a chilling coldness, and in an instant, his figure vanished, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.

"Whoosh—" A sharp sound pierced the air, and Elder Han had already appeared behind one of the Jiang family knights. His withered hand instantly penetrated the knight's chest.

"Plop—" Blood sprayed out, and the knight's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Elder Han, before slowly collapsing to the ground.

The other knights were shocked and hurried to draw their swords to attack Elder Han. Elder Han's strength far surpassed theirs—each time his figure flickered, it claimed another life.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Gu Sheng broke free from his bindings and attempted to escape. He had barely taken a few steps before Elder Han grabbed him firmly.

"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Elder Han sneered, grasping Gu Sheng with one hand while wielding his longsword with the other, slaughtering the remaining Jiang family knights one by one.

After the battle ended, Elder Han dragged Gu Sheng deeper into the desolate mountains. They arrived at the edge of a cliff, and Elder Han lightly pressed his hand against the cliff face. A concealed stone cave suddenly appeared before them.

Gu Sheng was shoved into the cave, where he saw that it was filled with all kinds of rare spiritual medicines—the lotus seeds of the Black Jade Divine Lotus, the fruits of the Green Jade Snow Lotus, the Nine-leaf Phoenix Grass... Each of these spiritual medicines exuded a powerful life force, as if they could bring people back from the dead.

Gu Sheng, however, had no interest in admiring these spiritual treasures. He knew that he was about to become one of them, to be refined into a Returning Yang Pill. He struggled furiously in defiance, but Elder Han's strength was overwhelming, leaving him utterly unable to resist.

"Hahahaha!" Seeing the despair on Gu Sheng's face, Elder Han burst into laughter. "Kid, accept your fate! To become a part of my Returning Yang Pill is a privilege for someone like you!"

With that, Elder Han began to prepare the materials for alchemy. Gu Sheng was bound to a stone pillar, forced to watch helplessly as his fate was pushed closer to the abyss step by step.

Elder Han lightly tapped a knot, and the rope loosened. His skeletal hand, like an iron claw, firmly clamped onto Gu Sheng.

"Clang!"

With a heavy crash, Gu Sheng was thrown into a massive medicine tripod with the same disdain as one would discard trash. This ancient and mysterious medicine tripod was covered in markings of age, as if telling the tales of countless immortal pills it had refined through time.

"Han, you wretched old dog—you will regret this!" Gu Sheng struggled to stand up, his eyes filled with indomitable resolve and defiance.

"Regret?" Elder Han sneered coldly. "I, Han, have never done anything I'd regret. You, however, should regret how you fell into my hands."

Gu Sheng took a deep breath, trying to quell his anger and terror. He understood that any emotional turmoil now would only further disadvantage him. He had to stay calm, to find an opportunity to escape.

"Do you think that because you have ties to the Jiang family, I wouldn't dare touch you?" Elder Han approached the medicine tripod, looking at Gu Sheng with a mocking gaze. "Let me tell you, even if the knights of the Jiang family were here themselves, they wouldn't be able to save you."

"Old dog, don't push your luck!" Gu Sheng glared at him, his voice brimming with boundless fury.

"Push my luck? Hahahaha!" Elder Han roared with laughter. "In this cave, I am god! You are nothing more than an ingredient for my alchemy."

With that, Elder Han began to retrieve various rare spiritual medicines from the medicine cabinet. These treasures shimmered with brilliant light and emitted a captivating fragrance—each one an object of longing for cultivators. In Gu Sheng's eyes, however, these spiritual medicines were like death warrants, filling him with an unprecedented sense of despair.

"Look, this is the lotus seed of the Black Jade Divine Lotus, a rarity encountered once in a millennium," Elder Han said while holding up a black seed the size of a pigeon egg and waving it in front of Gu Sheng. "And here are the fruits of the Green Jade Snow Lotus, the Nine-leaf Phoenix Grass... All of these are meant for refining an Immortal Pill. You—will be the most important ingredient in this pill."

Gu Sheng clenched his teeth tightly; he knew his situation had reached a critical juncture. Even so, he had no intention of giving up—the light of resolve still shimmered in his gaze.

"Elder Han, have you considered the consequences of offending the Jiang family?" Gu Sheng made one last attempt to struggle. "If I die, the Jiang family will never let this rest."

"Hah, do you think I fear the Jiang family?" Elder Han sneered dismissively. "Here in Yan, there's no one I—the Elder Han—fear."

With that, Elder Han began to toss the spiritual medicines into the medicine tripod one by one. As the spiritual medicines were added, the interior of the tripod filled with a rich aroma, a fragrance that could intoxicate any soul. But to Gu Sheng, this scent was more like a deadly toxin, heightening his terror to an unprecedented level.

"No, I refuse to die like this!" Gu Sheng screamed internally, channeling his power in an attempt to break free from the confines of the tripod. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake even the slightest bit of this seemingly ordinary yet impenetrable tripod.

Elder Han watched Gu Sheng's futile struggles with a cruel smile on his face. He approached the medicine tripod and lightly patted the surface with his hand. "Buzz—" A light hum echoed, and the liquid inside the tripod began to boil instantly, releasing an even heavier aroma.

"Enjoy your final moments," Elder Han said coldly. "When you're refined into the Immortal Pill, I'll make sure to thank you properly."

With these words, Elder Han turned and left, leaving Gu Sheng alone to struggle within the medicine tripod. The boiling liquid grew hotter and hotter, as if it were trying to melt Gu Sheng completely. His skin started to turn crimson, sweat poured off him like rain, and each breath became more agonizing than the last.

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